Coin separator and stacker

ABSTRACT

The apparatus comprises a substantially vertical chute into which coins of predetermined diameter topple through a calibrated window. The chute guides the coins from the entrance to a coin tube at the lower end of the chute. The coins slide edge first across the upper end of the coin tube. The inner edge or lip of the upper end of the coin tube opposite the lower end of the chute is exposed when the coin tube is filled to less than capacity and is obscured by the uppermost coin when the tube is filled to capacity. The chute has a concave rear wall to guide the coins to the coin tube and a front wall having an initial downward slope to guide the coins from the entrance to the rear wall. The vertical contours of the rear wall vary across the width of the rear wall due to a camber so as to impart a component of rolling motion to a coin sliding down the chute in contact with the rear wall, before the coin reaches the upper end of the coin tube.

United States Patent [191 Luyben et al.

[ Sept. 23, 1975 COIN SEPARATOR AND STACKER [75] Inventors: GijsbertusCornelius Luyben;

Abraham Marinus De Wilde, both of Delft, Netherlands [73] Assignee:Mars, Incorporated, McLean, Va.

[22] Filed: Nov. 21, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 525,841

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 22, 1973 United Kingdom54317/73 [52] US. Cl 133/1 A; 194/1 K; 133/3 D [51] Int. Cl. G07F 3/04[58] Field of Search 194/1 B, l K, 1 G, l R; 133/15 [56] ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,844,297 10/1974 Lautzenhiser 133/3 D H7 atPrimary ExaminerAllen N. Knowles Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Davis, Hoxie,Faithful] & Hapgood [57] ABSTRACT The apparatus comprises asubstantially vertical chute into which coins of predetermined diametertopple through a calibrated window. The chute guides the coins from theentrance to a coin tube at the lower end of the chute. The coins slideedge first across the upper end of the coin tube. The inner edge or lipof the upper end of the coin tube opposite the lower end of the chute isexposed when the coin tube is filled to less than capacity and isobscured by the uppermost coin when the tube is filled to capacity. Thechute has a concave rear wall to guide the coins to the coin tube and afront wall having an initial downward slope to guide the coins from theentrance to the rear wall. The vertical contours of the rear wall varyacross the width of the rear wall due to a camber so as to impart acomponent of rolling motion to a coin sliding down the chute in contactwith the rear wall, before the coin reaches the upper end of the cointube.

33 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures US Patent Sept. 23,1975

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FIG.6

FIGS

COIN SEPARATOR AND STACKER The present invention is concerned with animprovement in coin handling apparatus suitable for incorporation in acoin operated vending machine. Such coin handling apparatus receivescoins of various denominations, determines the denomination andauthenticity of the coins, rejects slugs and coins of unacceptabledenominations, determines and sums the denominations of acceptablecoins, produces a vend signal when ac ceptable coins to a value equal toand in excess of the price of the item to be vended have been inserted,and produces change in an amount equal to the excess of the value of theaccepted coins over the price of the item selected.

A coin inserted into a vending machine having such apparatus enters theapparatus and moves by gravity along a series of coin tracks whichestablish a sinuous coin path. Sensors arranged along the coin pathmeasure one or more physical properties of the coin such as electricalconductivity, diameter, acceleration, velocity, or functions whichdepend on combinations of these properties. Circuitry associated withthe sensors determines whether the coin is an authentic coin of anacceptable denomination. If not, the coin is rejected. An accepted cointravels under gravity along a further track past one or more acceptancewindows arranged in order of increasing height in the direction of cointravel. The acceptance windows each lead via a chute to a coin tubeappropriate for coins of a particular denomination. The heights of theacceptance windows correspond to the diameter of acceptable coins. Acoin falling through one of the acceptance windows is guided verticallydown the associated chute and then generally horizontally across themouth of the associated coin tube. The coin tubes are dimensioned tostore a supply of stacked coins sufficient to meet anticipatedchange-giving requirements. When a coin tube is full, further coins ofthat denomination issuing from the associated chute will slide acrossthe top coin in the tube, by-passing the tube, and enter a further oroverflow chute which leads to the locked coin box in which acceptedcoins of all denominations are stored for periodic removal. Coins largerthan any of the acceptance windows continue under gravity along thefurther track to the chute to the coin box. When the value of acceptedcoins exceeds the price of the desired item, the excess is determined bythe circuitry, and change dispensing mechanisms at the foot of thecoin-tubes are actuated to dispense the appropriate change.

It has now been found occasionally coins become jammed at the top of afull coin tube when the front of the rim of a coin issuing from theassociated chute catches the rim or embossing of the top coin in thetube. One method of solving this problem is to increase the slope of thechute and thereby increase the velocity of coins issuing therefrom. Thismethod, however, causes many coins to pass over the tube mouth even whenthe tube is not full.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus forstacking coins comprising a substantially vertical chute into whichcoins of predetermined diameter topple through an entrance at its upperend and from which they leave moving edge first across the open upperend of a coin tube at its lower end, the inner edge of the upper end ofthe coin tube opposite the lower end of the chute being exposed when thecoin tube is filled to less than capacity and being obscured by theuppermost coin in the tube when the tube is filled to capacity, thechute having a convex front wall and a concave rear wall to guide thecoins from the entrance to the coin tube so that they slide edge firstacross the upper end of the coin tube, the vertical contours of the rearwall varying across the width of the rear wall so as to impart rollingmotion to a coin sliding down the chute in contact with the rear wallbefore the coin reaches the upper end of the coin tube.

Rolling minimises the effect of interference between the edge of themoving coin and the uppermost coin in the tube and keeps the front ofthe arriving coin from engaging the uppermost coin in the tube, allwithout the necessity of increasing the speed of the moving coin.

Throughout this specification the term coin is intended to mean genuinecoins, tokens, counterfeit coins, slugs, washers, and any other itemwhich may be used in an attempt to use coin-operated devices, and forsimplicity, coin movement on the coin edge is described as rotationalmotion, however, except where otherwise indicated, translational motionis also contemplated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial rear elevational view of apparatus including thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of a portion of theapparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG.2, showing a full coin tube;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the coin chute lining of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings, a coin inserted into the coin-receiving slot(not shown) of the vending machine is directed into a hopper 103. Thecoin drops from the hopper onto a track 111 and rolls down the trackbetween front and rear plates 101 and 102. At the end of track 111 thecoin drops onto a pad 115, which dissipates a substantial portion of thekinetic energy of the coin to reduce coin bouncing. The coin rolls downthe upper surface of the pad 115 and onto a track 113. As the coin rollsdown the track 113, it is identified by means incorporating one or moreof sensors 130, 131 and 132. By the time the coin reaches the end of thetrack 113, it has been identified as either acceptable or unacceptable,and if acceptable, it has been further identified as to denomination.

At the end of the track 113, the momentum of the coin carries it acrossto a second substantially vertical pad 117. The pad 117, similar to pads115 and 125, causes the dissipation of most of the kinetic energy of thecoin, allowing it to drop almost vertically toward an acceptance gate124. If the coin has been identified as acceptable, the gate 124 isretracted into the rear plate 102, allowing the coin to fall past thegate 124 toward a pad 125. If the coin has been identified asunacceptable, the gate 124 intercepts the coin, diverting it onto atrack 116. The coin rolls down the track 116, entering a reject chute146 at 108. The reject chute 146 delivers the rejected coin to the coinreturn window of the vending machine.

As mentioned above, a coin identified as acceptable drops past theretracted acceptance gate 124 onto the pad 125 behind a separator plate104 as viewed in FIG. 1. Like the pads 115 and 117, pad 125 causes thedissipation of a substantial portion of the kinetic energy of the cointo reduce coin bouncing. These pads may be energy absorbing devices asdisclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 468,205 filed May 8, 1974 and assigned to theassignee of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 thepad 125 of relatively hard plastics such as glass-filled Noryl, ismounted on a pad 151 of relatively soft rubber such as neoprene. The pad151 is in turn mounted on an L-shaped bracket 152 of delrin DEL- RIN isa Registered Trade Mark). The bracket 152 is coupled to the outersurface of the separator plate 104 by means of a second relatively softrubber pad (not shown) of neoprene. The pads 125 and 151 and theassociated leg of bracket 152 pass through an enlarged aperture 154 inthe separator plate 104 so that the upper portion of the energyabsorbing device is not restrained by plate 104. In addition, a guideplate 105 (FIG. 2) has a notch (not shown) opposite the aperture 154 topermit the pad 125 to span the gap between the plates 104 and 105without being restrained by any contact with plate 105. The pad 125 maybe glass-filled to improve its wearing properties. The elements of theenergy absorbing device may be held together by any suitable adhesives.Alternatively the device may be constructed of a block of a hardmaterial such as aluminium oxide, as disclosed in the specification ofcopending U.S. Ser. No. 525,742 filed Nov. 21, 1974, assigned to theassignee of this application. In either case, the pads cause absorptionor dissipation of the kinetic energy of the moving coin to reduce coinbouncing.

After dropping onto the pad 125, the accepted coin rolls down onto atrack 121 between the separator plate 104 and guide plate 105. The track122 passes acceptance or separator windows 128 and 129. The plates 104and 105 are tilted towards windows 128 and 129 to ensure that coinspassing the windows will fall through the appropriate window into anassociated separator chute 134 or 135.

Windows 128 and 129 are graded in height from smaller to larger. Thusthe height of the top of the window 128 above the track measuredperpendicular to the track 121, may equal the diameter of a ten-centcoin plus a small clearance, while the corresponding dimension of window129 may equal the diameter of a five-cent coin plus a small clearance.Accordingly, a ten-cent coin rolling along the track 121 will fallthrough window 128. A larger five-cent coin will roll past the window128 and fall through the window 129. An acceptable coin larger than thefive-cent coin (e.g., a twenty-five cent coin) will roll down the track121 without falling through either window. At the end of the track 121such a coin enters large coin chute 144 (approximately parallel to andbehind the reject chute 146 as viewed in FIG. 1) and drops to a cointrack 140. The large coin then rolls down the track 140, behind theseparator plate 104 as viewed in FIG. 1, to the end of the track whereit drops into a chute 142 leading to the coin box of the machine.

To ensure that all coins of appropriate diameter fall through thewindows, as is best seen in FIG. 2, the curb 130 at the foot of thewindow 128 is made low and without any appreciable surface perpendicularto coin track 121 below the window. The curb 130 tapers upward to asingle edge or fulcrum 149 about which coins pivot into coin chute 134.In addition, the separator plate 104 includes lay-back slot 157 whichincreases by increment a the angle from the vertical of all coins smallenough to pass through one of windows 128 and 129. Accordingly, the topof lay-back slot 157 is the same distance from the track 121 as the topof larger Window 129. Coins too large to enter either separator windowroll down track 121 without entering the layback slot 157.

A coin which falls through either window 128 or 129 is guided down "theassociated coin chute 134, toward the mouth of an associated coin tube136, 137. If the coin tube is full, the coin continues across the mouthof the coin tube and drops onto the coin track which delivers the cointo the chute 142 as in the case of acceptable coins too large to passthrough either window 128 or 129. If the coin tube is not full, the coindrops into the coin tube where it is stacked and stored until it islater dispensed as change.

To eliminate the possibility of coins becoming jammed at the top of fullcoin tubes caused by rubbing of the front of the rim of an arriving coinon the rim or embossing of the uppermost coin in the tube, the guidingsurface of the coin chutes is cambered to impart a rolling motion to thearriving coin additional to the sliding motion caused by its passagedown the chute. When the arriving coin is to some extent rolling overthe uppermost coin in the tube instead of merely sliding, the arrivingcoin can ride over the rim and embossing of the uppermost coin byrolling and the front of the arriving coin does not touch the uppermostcoin in the tube.

In the present embodiment rolling motion is imparted to the coin by aninsert 170 which is inserted in the chute cover 147 as shown in FIG. 2and provides the rear wall of the coin chute. The insert 170 is camberedas shown in FIGS. 3-6, varying in thickness in substantially linearfashion from essentially zero at its upstream edge 171 to approximately4.7 millimeters at its downstream edge 172.

The contours of the rear wall taken on vertical planes vary across thewidth of the rear wall, the contour line at the downstream side of therear wall having a radius of curvature smaller than that at the upstreamside .so that the distance between the entrance and the coin tubemeasured along the rear wall is greater at the upstream side than at thedownstream side. At the entrance end of the inserted 170 adjacent one ofthe windows 128, 129 the camber gradually disappears, and the exit endof the insert is curved (see FIGS. 3 and 6) to surround the top of thecoin tube 136. A coin falling through the window 128 is guided down thechute 134 and onto the insert 170 by a block 145, the upper surface ofwhich is cambered or pitched downward in the downstream direction asshown in FIG. 2. In practice the blocks are not mounted perpendicular tothe track 121 as indicated in FIG. 1, but instead are mountedapproximately 85 from the direction of coin travel down the track. Theblocks direct the coins toward the cambered insert and also prevent thecoins from randomly tumbling down the chute in a manner likely to causejamming. On reaching the insert the coin continues to slide downward,but the contour of the inner surface of the insert gradually changes thedirection of coin motion towards horizontal. At the same time, thecamber of the insert 170 causes some rotation to be superimposed on thesliding motion of the coin.

By the time the coin reaches the exit end of the chute, at the top ofthe coin tube 136, it is usually both sliding and rolling down thechute. The rolling componentof motion imparted by the cambered chuteinsert 170 causes the coin to roll across the uppermost coin in the cointube 136 and onto the coin track 140.

The trajectory of the canted coins as they leave the coin chute at thecoin tubes is nearly horizontal. Particularly with smaller, lightercoins such as the United States ten-cent coin, it has been found that arelatively small clearance is desirable in the chute 134 to reduce coinvibration and direct coins accurately at lip 158 in the month 159 of thecoin tube 136. This minimises the probability that a coin will overshootthe coin tube 136 when the coin tube is not full. The lip 158 ispreferably straight and horizontal across the entire width of chute 134.A transition to circular coin tube 136 is. effected below lip 158. Thesurface 161 of block 145 above mouth 159 is substantially parallel tothe trajectory of coins in that portion of the apparatus to ensure thatany coin striking the lip 158 will drop into the coin tube 136.

What we claim is:

1. Apparatus for stacking coins comprising a substantially verticalchute into which coins of predetermined diameter topple through anentrance at its upper end and from which they leave moving edge firstacross the open upper end of a coin tube at its lower end, the inneredge of the upper end of the coin tube opposite the lower end of thechute being exposed when the coin tube is filled to less than capacityand being obscured by the uppermost coin in the tube when the tube isfilled to capacity, the chute having a concave rear wall to guide thecoins to the coin tube so that they slide edge first across the upperend of the coin tube and a front wall having an initial, downwardlysloping surface to guide the coins from the entrance to the rear wall,the vertical contours of the rear wall varying across the width of therear wall so as to impart rolling motion to a coin sliding down thechute in contact with the rear wall before the coin reaches the upperend of the coin tube.

2. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 1 in which thevertical contours are varied across the width of the rear wall by givingthe rear wall a camber at least at the lower end of the chute so as tovary the contours across the width.

3. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 1 in which thevertical contours are varied such that the distance between the entranceand the coin tube measured along the rear wall is greater along one sidethan along the other side.

4. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 3 in which thevertical contour line of the rear wall at one side has a radius ofcurvature which is greater than the radius of curvature at the otherside of the rear wall at least at its lower end.

5. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 3 in which theentrance is a Window at the side of an inclined coin track, coinsrolling down the track of the predetermined diameter falling from thetrack into the chute through the window, the contour and the saiddistance being greater along the upstream side of the rear wall than thedownstream side.

6. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 5 in which the rearwall is provided by the inner surface of an insert with its outersurface of the insert being part cylindrical, the thickness of theinsert varying substantially linearly across its Width. I

7. Apparatus for'st'acking coins according to claim 6 in which theinsert thickness varies from substantially zero to 4.7 millimeters. i

8. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 6 in which thevertical contours of the rear wall are substantially identical at theupper end of the chute across the width of the rear wall.

9. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 8 in which thevertical contours of the upper surface of the front wall of the chutevary across the width of the front wall in a manner similar to thevariations in the rear wall.

10. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 9 in which the upperend of vertical contours of the upper surface of the front wall arevaried by cambering the front wallat the upper end of the chute.

11. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 2 in which thevertical contours are varied such that the distance between the entranceand the coin tube measured along the rear wall is greater along one sidethan along the other side.

12. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 3 in which thevertical contour line of the rear wall at one side has a radius ofcurvature which is greater than the radius of curvature at the otherside of the rear wall at least at its lower end.

13. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 1 in which the rearwall is provided by the inner surface of an insert with its outersurface of the insert being part cylindrical, the thickness of theinsert varying substantially linearly across its width.

14. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 13 in which theinsert thickness varies from substantially zero to 4.7 millimeters.

15. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 13 in which thevertical contours of the rear wall are substantially identical at theupper end of the chute across the width of the rear wall.

16. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 15 in which thevertical contours of the upper surface of the front wall of the chutevary across the width of the front wall in a manner similar to thevariations in the rear wall.

17. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 16 in which theupper end of vertical contours of the upper surface of the front wallare varied by cambering the front wall at the upper end of the chute.

18. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 1 in which thevertical contours of the rear wall are substantially identical at theupper end of the chute across the width of the rear wall.

19. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 18 in which thevertical contours of the upper surface of the front wall of the chutevary across the width of the front wall in a manner similar to thevariations in the rear wall.

20. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 19 in which theupper end of vertical contours of the upper surface of the front wallare varied by cambering the front wall at the upper end of the chute.

21. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 1 in which thevertical contours of the upper surface of the front wall of the chutevary across the width of the front wall in a manner similar to thevariations in the rear wall.

22. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 21 in which theupper end of vertical contours of the upper surface of the front wallare varied by cambering the front wall at the upper end of the chute.

23. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 3 in which the rearwall is provided by the inner surface of an insert with its outersurface of the insert being part cylindrical, the thickness of theinsert varying substantially linearly across its width.

24. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 23 in which theinsert thickness varies from substantially zero to 4.7 millimeters.

25. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 22 in which thevertical contours of the rear wall are substantially identical at theupper end of the chute across the width of the rear wall.

26. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 25 in which thevertical contours of the upper surface of the front wall of the chutevary across the width of the front wall in a manner similar to thevariations in the rear wall.

27. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 26 in which theupper end of vertical contours of the upper surface of the front wallare varied by cambering the front wall at the upper end of the chute.

28. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 4 in which theentrance is a window at the side of an inclined coin track, coinsrolling down the track of the predetermined diameter falling from thetrack into the chute through the window, the contour and the saiddistance being greater along the upstream side of the rear wall than thedownstream side.

29. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 28 in 'which therear wall is provided by the inner surface of an insert with its outersurface of the insert being part cylindrical, the thickness of theinsert varying substantially linearly across its width.

30. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 29 in which theinsert thickness varies from substantially zero to 4.7 millimeters.

31. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 29 in which thevertical contours of the rear wall are substantially identical at theupper end of the chute across the width of the rear wall.

32. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 30 in which thevertical contours of the upper surface of the front wall of the chutevary across the width of the front wall in a manner similar to thevariations in the rear wall.

33. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 32 in which theupper end of vertical contours of the upper surface of the front wallare varied by camben'ng the front wall at the upper end of the chute.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Q PATENT NO.3,906,965

DATED September 23, 1975 |NvENT0R(5) Gijsbertus Cornelius Luyben 6Abraham Marinus DeWilde it is certified that error appears in theabove-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

Col. 3, line 37, "122" should be lZ1--.

C01. 7, claim 25, line 2, "22" should be --23-.

Signed and Scaled this second Day Of March 1976 i [SEAL] Attest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Q Arresting Officer CommissionerofParents and Trademarks

1. Apparatus for stacking coins comprising a substantially verticalchute into which coins of predetermined diameter topple through anentrance at its upper end and from which they leave moving edge firstacross the open upper end of a coin tube at its lower end, the inneredge of the upper end of the coin tube opposite the lower end of thechute being exposed when the coin tube is filled to less than capacityand being obscured by the uppermost coin in the tube when the tube isfilled to capacity, the chute having a concave rear wall to guide thecoins to the coin tube so that they slide edge first across the upperend of the coin tube and a front wall having an initial, downwardlysloping surface to guide the coins from the entrance to the rear wall,the vertical contours of the rear wall varying across the width of therear wall so as to impart rolling motion to a coin sliding down thechute in contact with the rear wall before the coin reaches the upperend of the coin tube.
 2. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim1 in which the vertical contours are varied across the width of the rearwall by giving the rear wall a camber at least at the lower end of thechute so as to vary the contours across the width.
 3. Apparatus forstacking coins according to claim 1 in which the vertical contours arevaried such that the distance between the entrance and the coin tubemeasured along the rear wall is greater along one side than along theother side.
 4. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 3 inwhich the vertical contour line of the rear wall at one side has aradius of curvature which is greater than the radius of curvature at theother side of the rear wall at least at its lower end.
 5. Apparatus forstacking coins according to claim 3 in which the entrance is a window atthe side of an inclined coin track, coins rolling down the track of thepredetermined diameter falling from the track into the chute through thewindow, the contour and the said distance being greater along theupstream side of the rear wall than the downstream side.
 6. Apparatusfor stacking coins according to claim 5 in which the rear wall isprovided by the inner surface of an insert with its outer surface of theinsert being part cylindrical, the thickness of the insert varyingsubstantially linearly across its width.
 7. Apparatus for stacking coinsaccording to claim 6 in which the insert thickness varies fromsubstantially zero to 4.7 millimeters.
 8. Apparatus for stacking coinsaccording to claim 6 in which the vertical contours of the rear wall aresubstantially identical at the upper end of the chute across the widthof the rear wall.
 9. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 8in which the vertical contours of the upper surface of the front wall ofthe chute vary across the width of the front wall in a manner similar tothe variations in the rear wall.
 10. Apparatus for stacking coinsaccording to claim 9 in which the upper end of vertical contours of theupper surface of the front wall are varied by cambering the front wallat the upper end of the chute.
 11. Apparatus for stacking coinsaccording to claim 2 in which the vertical contours are varied such thatthe distance between the entrance and the coin tube measured along therear wall is greater along one side than along the other side. 12.Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 3 in which the verticalcontour line of the rear wall at one side has a radius of curvaturewhich is greater than the radius of curvature at the other side of therear wall at least at its lower end.
 13. Apparatus for stacking coinsaccording to claim 1 in which the rear wall is provided by the innersurface of an insert with its outer surface of the insert being partcylindrical, the thickness of the insert varying substantially linearlyacross its width.
 14. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 13in which the insert thickness varies from substantially zero to 4.7millimeters.
 15. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 13 inwhich the vertical contours of the rear wall are substantially identicalat the upper end of the chute across the width of the rear wall. 16.Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 15 in which the verticalcontours of the upper surface of the front wall of the chute vary acrossthe width of the front wall in a manner similar to the variations in therear wall.
 17. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 16 inwhich the upper end of vertical contours of the upper surface of thefront wall are varied by cambering the front wall at the upper end ofthe chute.
 18. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 1 inwhich the vertical contours of the rear wall are substantially identicalat the upper end of the chute across the width of the rear wall. 19.Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 18 in which the verticalcontours of the upper surface of the front wall of the chute vary acrossthe width of the front wall in a manner similar to the variations in therear wall.
 20. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 19 inwhich the upper end of vertical contours of the upper surface of thefront wall are varied by cambering the front wall at the upper end ofthe chute.
 21. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 1 inwhich the vertical contours of the upper surface of the front wall ofthe chute vary across the width of the front wall in a manner similar tothe variations in the rear wall.
 22. Apparatus for stacking coinsaccording to claim 21 in which the upper end of vertical contours of theupper surface of the front wall are varied by cambering the front wallat the upper end of the chute.
 23. Apparatus for stacking coinsaccording to claim 3 in which the rear wall is provided by the innersurface of an insert with its outer surface of the insert being partcylindrical, the thickness of the insert varying substantially linearlyacross its width.
 24. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 23in which the insert thickness varies from substantially zero to 4.7millimeters.
 25. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 22 inwhich the vertical contours of the rear wall are substantially identicalat the upper end of the chute across the width of the rear wall. 26.Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 25 in which the verticalcontours of the upper surface of the front wall of the chute vary acrossthe width of the front wall in a manner similar to the variations in therear wall.
 27. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 26 inwhich the upper end of vertical contours of the upper surface of thefront wall are varied by cambering the front wall at the upper end ofthe chute.
 28. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 4 inwhich the entrance is a window at the side of an inclined coin track,coins rolling down the track of the predetermined diameter falling fromthe track into the chute through the window, the contour and the saiddistance being greater along the upstream side of the rear wall than thedownstream side.
 29. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 28in which the rear wall is provided by the inner surface of an insertwith its outer surface of the insert being part cylindrical, thethickness of the insert varying substantially linearly across its width.30. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 29 in which theinsert thickness varies from substantially zero to 4.7 millimeters. 31.Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 29 in which the verticalcontours of the rear wall are substantially identical at the upper endof the chute across the width of the rear wall.
 32. Apparatus forstacking coins according to claim 30 in which the vertical contours ofthe upper surface of the front wall of the chute vary across the widthof the front wall in a manner similar to the variations in the rearwall.
 33. Apparatus for stacking coins according to claim 32 in whichthe upper end of vertical contours of the upper surface of the frontwall are varied by cambering the front wall at the upper end of thechute.